


Ripping Me Apart

by Pixeled



Category: Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Chaos being Chaos, M/M, Regret, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-19
Updated: 2019-08-19
Packaged: 2020-09-07 09:03:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 591
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20306920
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pixeled/pseuds/Pixeled
Summary: Reeve woke, a scream bubbling up,  concealed in his chest. In his dream, Chaos had been smiling, his teeth too sharp, too white, too long, his claws twisted and plunged in Reeve’s chest, his talons toying with his heart in the caved-in ruin, stroking in a mockery of affection.





	Ripping Me Apart

Reeve woke, a scream bubbling up, concealed in his chest. In his dream, Chaos had been smiling, his teeth too sharp, too white, too long, his claws twisted and plunged in Reeve’s chest, his talons toying with his heart in the caved-in ruin, stroking in a mockery of affection.

Reeve clutched at his chest, as if he could feel the phantom pain.

“_Humans are such fragile little creatures,_” Chaos purred into his ear. But Chaos was not there. Had he really heard it? Beside him, Vincent lay curled against his chest, his face screwed up in some restless nightmare. Against his thigh, Reeve felt white hot pain. Vincent was gripping him with his talons, the mechanical digits sharply digging into his flesh. Blood bloomed there, looking so red.

Reeve didn’t move Vincent’s gauntlet. Instead he studied Vincent’s face. He knew he dreamed of her. He knew he wasn’t enough. Wasn’t her.

As Reeve contemplated this, soft dark laughter rose from Vincent’s lips. Twin golden eyes popped open, the only indication that Chaos had risen to the surface. When Vincent slept, Chaos stirred, using Vincent like a puppet.

“_Sweet dreams have visited you_,” Chaos purred. “_I can smell the fear and pain coming off you._” The demon wearing the shell of Vincent released his grip on Reeve’s thigh and lifted the golden metal fingers to his lips to lick them clean of blood. He savored it like a fine sanguine wine, then traced the tips across Reeve’s lips, smearing what was left there, leaning his face in close to breathe in against Reeve’s neck.

“Chaos,” Reeve said wearily.

“_Tell me, human, do you love him_?”

The question made Reeve tense up. He tried to stop the frown that pulled his lips downward.

Reeve hadn’t considered that maybe he did. It was easier to believe that Vincent was his silent sentinel, coming to him to fill the emptiness that yawned inside his heart. That same emptiness yawned inside Reeve.

His life was a lie. He’d been so desperate to see his vision come to reality that when everything crumbled around him, his dreams died with the people of Midgar. Though people looked to him to rebuild, though he should feel the warmth of purpose, he felt empty. Blood was on his hands. He’d realized too late what he was enmeshed in. Atonement felt hollow. Not enough. Nothing he did could make it any better.

He pretended it was something it was not.

He pretended that when Vincent fell asleep at his side it was something it was not.

“_Your silence is deafening and telling, human_,” Chaos smirked. His voice was ageless and there was no mercy in it.

In truth, Reeve was afraid of his feelings. It was easier to hide behind walls, behind Cait, but Vincent insisted on seeing Reeve. The real Reeve.

But who was the real Reeve?

Though he smiled, his smile was hollow.

“_Sleep well, human_,” Chaos purred. And then those burning gold eyes slid closed. Vincent curled closer, the fingers of his flesh hand moving over Reeve’s chest, just where his heart beat rapidly.

Vincent’s face relaxed bit by bit and he buried his face against Reeve’s neck.

Reeve slid his fingers into long inky hair, turned, and leaned his forehead against Vincent’s. Vincent’s fingers tightened against his chest and Reeve pretended. Pretended that he was dreaming and when he woke up, Vincent would press against him like this with his conscious mind, but he knew when he woke that the distance between them would rip him apart.


End file.
